Devices for regulating the processing of harvested crop

ABSTRACT

An agricultural machine having at least one crop processing work unit, a plurality of crop transport units operatively assembled as a straw walker step, wherein the crop transport units convey crop streams in opposite directions and are spaced apart defining a crop through-gap, and a cleaning device having a forced-draught fan before the cleaning device, further comprising an exhaust fan located after the cleaning device, wherein the transport units are located between the forced-draught fan and the exhaust fan, wherein an air stream is produced by the forced-draught fan and the exhaust fan and is directed from the forced-draught fan to the exhaust fan, and wherein the air stream improves a cleaning process in the straw walker through-gap of the straw walker step. An agricultural machine having at least one crop processing work unit and an exhaust fan for carrying away a portion of the crop processed by working members for processing a plurality of crop streams out of an agricultural machine, comprising a crop distributing device operatively connected to the exhaust fan and having guide webs that are variable in position, wherein the crop distributing device has a first working position for receiving a first of the crop streams and a second of the crop streams and a second working position for receiving one of the crop streams, wherein in the first working position the first and the second crop streams are combined and discharged for broadcasting as a common crop stream, and wherein in the second working position the first of the crop streams is received and discharged and the second of the crop streams is conveyed and discharged from the working members in swath form separate from the first of the crop streams. The crop streams passing through the agricultural machine are conveyed with less turbulence. Long-stalked straw is deposited in a swath for later use, and short-stalked straw and chaff are discharged out of the agricultural harvester separate from and without whirling up again the crop swath.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to an agricultural machine, andmore specifically to devices for improving, controlling and regulatingthe processing of harvested crop.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

[0002] German Patent Application No. DE 196 24 733 A1 describes anagricultural combine harvester having threshing members and agrain/straw separator in a rear region constructed as a rack vibrator. Areturn pan is located below the grain/straw separator for conveyinggrain that is separated by the grain/straw separator opposite thedirection of the crop being threshed. The separated crop is transferredto a cleaning device having sieve elements. An air flow stream createdby a forced-draught fan flows through holes in the sieve elements. Thecleaning device quickly reaches its limit when throughputs are high. Anexhaust fan is associated with the return pan, wherein the exhaust fanextracts non-grain components from the crop stream passing through thecleaning device. Hence, the cleaning device is supplied with a cropmixture interspersed with fewer contaminants. Because the crop stream ofthe return pan and the crop stream located on the grain pan haveopposite directions of movement resulting in strong turbulence, the cropsteams are not uniform toward a rear end of the agricultural combineharvester. This disturbance in crop flow results in an inefficientcleaning capacity.

[0003] European Patent No. EP 0 314 695 B1 describes comminuting andmixing devices. The comminuting and mixing devices are important fordistributing chopped cereal straw over a field, thereby accelerating therotting process of the chopped cereal straw.

[0004] The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more ofthe problems set forth above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] An aspect of the present invention is to provide an apparatus andmethod for overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.

[0006] In accordance with the present invention, there is provided anagricultural harvester for discharging non-grain components withoutsubstantial turbulence or interference, wherein the non-grain componentsand grain are transported together or separately from each other andwithout affecting each other.

[0007] In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided acleaning device having a forced-draught fan, exhaust fan and croptransport units for improved cleaning.

[0008] In another aspect of the present invention, an exhaust fan usedin conjunction with a cleaning device and at least two crop transportunits in a rear region in a vertical direction, are used for generatingan air stream in the direction of the exhaust fan through the region ofa straw walker step between the crop transport units to ensure that thecrop streams, which meet in the region of the straw walker step and haveopposite directions of movement, do not create turbulence obstructingcrop flow, thereby reducing crop congestion and improving cleaningcapacity.

[0009] In yet another aspect of the present invention, the exhaust fancan be constructed as a crop comminutor, wherein the crop streamsentering the crop comminutor are mixed together and large pieces ofcrop, for example straw, are comminuted into short pieces to promotedegrading after being discharged from the agricultural combine harvesterinto a field.

[0010] In yet another aspect of the present invention, there is providedan adjustable air stream in a straw walker step between at least twocrop transport units in a direction towards an exit end of theagricultural harvester, wherein the air stream is adjusted to thechanging harvesting conditions.

[0011] In still another aspect of the present invention, the speed ofthe air steam is regulated according to the harvesting conditions, thetype of harvested crop and the throughput of the harvested crop becausethese factors have a determining influence on the separation efficiencyof a cleaning device.

[0012] In yet still another aspect of the invention the speed of theexhaust fan is manually or automatically adjustable, thereby adjustingthe speed of the air stream.

[0013] In yet still another aspect of the present invention, there arespeed measuring devices for instantaneously and accurately detecting,controlling and regulating the air stream speed in the region of thestraw walker step.

[0014] In still another aspect of the present invention, there is acontrol and regulating unit for regulating an air stream in the regionof a straw walker step, wherein a preset speed value is used as anoptimum set point, and wherein the set point can be influenced by thetype of crop and/or moisture content of the crop being harvested.

[0015] The above aspects are merely illustrative examples of a few ofthe innumerable aspects associated with the present invention and shouldnot be deemed an all-inclusive listing in any manner whatsoever.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Reference is now made to the drawings, which illustrate the bestknown mode of carrying out the invention and wherein the same referencecharacters indicate the same or similar parts throughout the views.

[0017]FIG. 1 is a cross sectional side view of an agriculturalharvester;

[0018]FIG. 2 is a schematic of a control and regulating device;

[0019]FIG. 3 is a top view of a crop distributing device illustrating a“broadcast” working position; and

[0020]FIG. 4 is a top view of a crop distributing device illustrating a“swath” working position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021]FIG. 1 shows an agricultural harvester 1 constructed as a combineharvester 2. The combine harvester 2 has a feed rake 3 operativelyattached to its front end for harvesting crop. The function and elementsof the feed rake 3 are known in the art and no further explanation isrequired. A single-cylinder threshing mechanism 4 receives the harvestedcrop from the feed rake 3 as shown by the crop stream 7. Thesingle-cylinder threshing mechanism 4 passes the crop stream 7 between athreshing cylinder 5 and a concave 6, wherein some grain or crop stream27 is passed to a grain pan 20. Thereafter, the crop stream 7 istransferred to a transfer cylinder 8, which transfers the crop stream 7to a grain/straw separator 10. The grain/straw separator 10 isconstructed as an axial separation rotor 9, wherein the axial separatorrotor 9 has an inside separation rotor 12, which is at least partiallyencased in a rotor housing 11. The crop stream 7 is conveyed between aseparation rotor 12 and the rotor housing 11 to a rear region of theseparation rotor 12 due to rotational movement. In the rear region ofthe separation rotor 12, the rotor housing 11 has a bottom opening 13for the crop stream 7 to pass out of the grain/straw separator 10.

[0022] Below the axial separation rotor 9 is a first crop transport unit15 constructed and functioning as a return pan 14. The first croptransport unit 15 is at an incline, or transverse to the ground, andcatches crop stream 17 that was separated. The crop stream 17 passesthrough openings 16 of the rotor housing 11 to the return pan 14. Thereturn pan 14 is driven in oscillation, as shown by arrows 18, so thatthe crop stream 17 is gradually conveyed down the incline.

[0023] A crop preparation and cleaning device 19, having a grain pan 20that does not rotate and is operatively connected by a frame structure22 to a cleaning device 24, is located below the single-cylinderthreshing mechanism 4, the transfer cylinder 8 and the axial separationrotor 9. In the preferred embodiment, the cleaning device 24 has sievelevels 23. The frame structure 22 receives the grain pan 20 and thesieve levels 23 and is rotatably mounted in the agricultural machine 1by rocker arms 25. The rotational movement of the frame structure 22results in an oscillation movement, as shown by arrows 26.

[0024] The grain pan 20 is at an incline or transverse with respect tothe ground and extends below the single-cylinder threshing mechanism 4and the transfer cylinder 8. The grain pan 20 receives the crop stream27 separated in the region of the single-cylinder threshing mechanism 4,the crop stream 28 separated in the front region of the axial separationrotor 9 and the separated crop stream 17 from the return pan 14. Due tothe oscillating movement 26 of the grain pan 20, the crop streams 27,28, 17 are combined and conveyed as a common crop stream 29 away fromthe transfer cylinder 8, so that the grain pan 20 forms a second croptransport unit 21.

[0025] In the rear region of the grain pan 20, the crop stream 29 istransferred to the sieve levels 23 of the cleaning device 24. Because ofthe oscillating movement 26, the harvested crop is conveyed into an endregion of the cleaning device 24 facing away from the direction oftravel FR of the agricultural harvester 1. To increase the cleaningcapacity of the sieve levels 23, a forced-draught fan 30 is used togenerate an air stream 31 flow through the sieve levels 23 to conveylight components 32 of the crop stream 29 into the rear region of thecombine harvester 2. The grains 33 located in the crop stream 29 fromthe grain pan 20 are separated by the sieve levels 23 and conveyed byconveying members 34 out of the region of the cleaning device 24.

[0026] The return pan 14 and the grain pan 20 are vertically staggered,forming a straw walker step 36, which defines a through-gap 35. The cropstream 17 of the return pan 14 and the crop stream 27 of the grain pan20 move in opposite directions to each other and combine or mix into acommon crop stream 29 in the through-gap 35. During this mixing process,turbulence may be created, which hinders crop flow in the region of thestraw walker step 36. In certain circumstances, the crop flow is broughtto a complete standstill. An exhaust fan 37 is operatively mounted in arear section of the agricultural harvester 1 to facilitate movement ofthe crop flow. The exhaust fan 37 rotates in the direction shown byarrow 38 and is at least partially surrounded by a casing 39. A cropguide element 41 pivotably mounted to a shaft 40 at a first end abovethe exhaust fan 37. The crop guide element 41 is transverse to thedirection of travel FR and removably connected to a guide plate 42 at asecond end. The guide plate 42 is below the bottom opening 13 and fixedto the frame or a closure plate 43 arranged in the rear region of thegrain/straw separator member 10. The exhaust fan 37 is used with atleast two of the crop transport units 15, 21 and the cleaning device 24such that an air stream 31, created by the forced-draught fan 30 throughthe sieve levels 23 area of the cleaning device 24 and an air stream 44through the through-gap 35 in the region of the straw walker step 36,avoids agitating the crop streams 17, 27 when combined as crop stream 29at different directions and assists the movement of the combined cropstream 29, to the rear region of the agricultural harvester 1. Byreducing turbulence that obstructs crop flow, crop congestion inside theagricultural harvester 1 is avoided, thereby improving the cleaningcapacity.

[0027] A rotor 45 of the exhaust fan 37 has a plurality of cutter blades(not shown) circumferentially mounted thereto, which cooperate withshear bars 46, so that the exhaust fan 37 is also designed as a cropcomminutor 47.

[0028] The speed of the air stream 44 in the region of the straw walkerstep 36 is easily varied, so that it can be adapted to differentharvesting conditions, such as the type of crop and/or crop throughputand moisture content in the crop. A sensor mechanism 95 is operativelymounted in the region of the straw walker step 36 for monitoring andcommunicating the speed of the air stream 44 to a control and regulatingunit 46. The sensor mechanism 95 is known to those skilled in the art.Turning now to FIG. 2, there is shown the control and regulating unit 46for controlling and regulating the speed of the air stream 44 in theregion of the straw walker step 36. A pre-assigned speed value X2 isentered into the control and regulating unit 46. The speed value X2 isthe desired speed of the air stream 44. The sensor mechanism 95 isoperatively mounted in the straw walker step 36 area and senses thespeed of the air stream 44 and supplies a measured value X1 to thecontrol and regulating unit 46. The measured value X1 is compared to thespeed value X2 in the control and regulating unit 46, and the controland regulating device 46 adjusts the speed of the air stream 44 if themeasured value X1 is not at the preset desired speed value X2. Thecontrol and regulating device 46 adjusts the speed of the air stream 44by generating an output signal Y1 to either increase the speed ofrotation of the exhaust fan 37 when the speed of the air stream 44 isbelow the preset speed value X2, or to decrease the speed of rotation ofthe exhaust fan 37 when the speed of the air stream 44 is above thepreset speed value X2. In alternative embodiments, the preset speedvalue X2 includes one or more speed ranges and the output signal Y1generated by the control and regulating device 46 is an electrical,mechanical, hydraulic or pneumatic output signal Y1. A transmissionsystem 48 required to accomplish this is known to those skilled in theart and is not described in more detail. In one embodiment, the speedvalue X2 is determined by considering the type of crop being harvested,throughput and/or the moisture present in the crop being harvested toobtain an optimum preset speed.

[0029] A crop distributing device 49 is operatively connected to a cropcomminutor 47 to reduce crop congestion and blockage in the rear regionof the crop comminutor 47. The crop distributing device 49 facilitatesthe discharge of straw and other materials. The crop distributing device49 is used to direct or control the distribution of crop exiting theexhaust fan 37 constructed as the crop comminutor 47 over the field, andthe comminuted crop string is distributed over the field for the workingwidth of the agricultural harvester 1.

[0030] The crop guide element 41 is pivotably mounted to the shaft 40above the exhaust fan 37. The crop guide element 41 is operativelyconnected to the crop comminutor 47. The crop guide element 41 is shownin a first pivot position by solid lines in FIG. 1, wherein the cropstring 50 exiting the bottom opening 13 of the rotor housing 11 isguided above the crop comminutor 47 and the crop distributing device 49for discharge onto the ground 52 as a swath 51. When the crop guideelement 41 is in the first position, the crop stream from theforced-draught fan 30 and the cleaning device 24 area is precluded frommixing with the crop string 50 being discharged from the grain/strawseparator 10. In order to avoid crop congestion during processing of theharvested crop and to improve crop stream flow in and from theagricultural machine 1, the crop distributing device 49 dispenses a cropstream onto the field by broadcasting or in swaths. The cropdistributing device 49 moves the short stalked straw and chaff in thecrop-containing air stream 32 out of the agricultural harvester 1 to theground 52 separate from the crop string 50, making it possible todeposit long-stalked straw as the swath 51 for later use. Theagricultural harvester 1 discharges the crop-containing air stream 32lateral and separate from the crop string 50. In the first position, thecrop guide element 41 is used to preclude the crop string 50 and thecrop-containing air stream 32 from being combined. The crop string 50 isprecluded from entering the exhaust fan 37 and the crop distributingdevice 49. The crop string 50 being discharge from the grain/strawseparator 10 bypasses the exhaust fan 37 and is deposited in the swath51, while the crop-containing air stream 32 is discharged via theexhaust fan 37. The crop string 50 and the crop-containing air stream 32do not come into contact each other in the first position.

[0031] The crop guide element 41 has a second pivot position shown bybroken lines in FIG. 1, wherein the crop string 50 exiting the opening13 of the rotor housing 11 passes through the crop comminutor 47 and isintroduced to the crop stream 32 being conveyed away from the cleaningdevice 24, which is transferred in comminuted form or crop stream 53 tothe crop distributing device 49.

[0032] Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, the crop stream 53 transferredfrom the crop comminutor 47 to the crop distributing device 49 isadjustable in its discharge direction 54-57. Crop guide webs 58 arecurved and operatively connected to the crop distributing device 49,wherein the guide webs 58 are pivotable about shafts 59 operativelymounted to a housing 62. The guide webs 58 are adjustable. Guide bolts60 are operatively attached to the guide webs 58 and independentlyguided in arcuate oblong-hole slots 61 of the housing 62. The guidebolts 60 are at one end of the guide webs 58. The guide webs 58 arecombined into groups 63, 64, wherein the groups 63, 64 of the guide webs58 are arranged inversely symmetrically to the center of the cropdistributing device 49. The guide bolts 60 of the guide webs 58 of eachgroup 63, 64 are connected to each other outside the housing 62 by guideweb plates 65. This arrangement allows both of the groups 63, 64 of theguide webs 58 to pivot by a single coupling mechanism 66 about therespective shafts 59 into different positions. To avoid interferencewith crop flow within the crop distributing device 49, a couplingmechanism 66 is operatively arranged outside the housing 62. Thecoupling mechanism 66 has a central lever 67, which is rotatably mountedon the housing 62 of the crop distributing device 49 and operativelyconnected to a first pivot shaft 68 and a second pivot shaft 69. Thecoupling mechanism 66 rotatably receives coupling members 70, 71. Thecoupling members 70, 71 are rotatably mounted to the guide bolts 60 ofthe guide web 58 as shown in FIG. 3, wherein the coupling members 70, 71are pivotable. Thus, the guide webs 58 can be simultaneously pivoted bymanual or remote-control adjustment of the central lever 67 via a bolt72 in a slot guide 73 operatively connected to the housing 62 of thecrop distributing device 49.

[0033]FIG. 3 shows the central lever 67 in a first position of the slotguide 73. In the first position, the guide webs 58 in the slots 61 ofthe crop guide channels 74 “broadcast” the crop 53 conveyed into thecrop distributing device 49 over the ground 52 in the dischargedirection 54, 55. To move the central lever 67 from the first positionto a second position, the central lever 67 is pivoted in the slot guide73. FIG. 4 shows the central lever 67 in the second position of the slotguide 73. In the second position, the coupling members 70, 71 displacethe guide bolts 60 of the guide webs 58, which are rotatably connectedthereto within the oblong-hole slots 61, wherein the guide webs 58coupled together by the guide web plates 65 are pivoted outwardly in aposition transverse to the direction of travel. This results in the cropbeing discharged in directions 56, 57 because of the orientation of thecrop guide channels 74, which are also displaced outwardly andtransverse to the direction of travel FR. In the second position, theinner guide webs 58 operatively connected to the coupling members 70, 71encounter each other in the region of their front ends, so that the cropguide channel 75 defined by these guide webs 58 is closed andconsequently no more crop-containing air stream 53 can be conveyedthrough the crop guide channel 75. With the crop distributing device 49in the second position, the agricultural harvester 1 discharges the cropstring 50 through the bottom opening 13 of the rotor housing 11 alongthe guide plate 42 and above the crop guide element 41 and the cropdistributing device 49, thereby discharging the swath 51 on the ground52, while the crop-containing air stream 53 to be conveyed out of theagricultural harvester 1 by the crop comminutor 47 is laterally blownout of the agricultural harvester 1 transverse to the direction oftravel FR and staggered and separated from the swath 51. This segregateddischarge process ensures that the crop-containing air stream 53 exitingthe agricultural harvester 1 does not interfere or disrupt the swath 51on the ground 52.

[0034]FIG. 3 shows the adjacent, mutually facing groups 63, 64 of theguide webs 58 that produce a wide stream of crop from the crop guidechannel 76 in the “broadcast” working or first position. The mutuallyfacing groups 63, 64 of the guide webs 58 are operatively connected toan inner guide web 77, 78, which comes into contact with thecrop-containing air stream 53 in the “broadcast” working or firstposition.

[0035]FIG. 4 shows the inner crop guide webs 77, 78 in a position behindthe groups 63, 64 of crop guide webs 58 in the “side deposition” workingor second position. The inner crop guide webs 77, 78 have a first endrotatably mounted to the housing 62 of the crop guide distributingdevice 49 such that the inner guide webs 77, 78 are rotatable about apivot shaft 79. The inner crop guide webs 77, 78 have a second endoperatively mounted to a guide bolt 80. The guide bolt 80 is movablymounted in a slot guide 81 in the housing 62. The coupling web 82 has afirst end operatively attached to the guide bolt 80, where in the guidebolt is rotatably mounted thereon. The coupling web 82 has a second endoperatively attached to the guide bolt 83, wherein the guide bolt 83 canalso move within an oblong-hole guide 84 in the housing 62 and isnon-rotatably connected at the bottom to the inside guide web 58 of thegroups 63, 64. In this way, it is possible for the inner guide webs 77,78 to be pivoted from a working position to a non-working position andvice versa on operation of the coupling mechanism 66.

[0036] The exhaust fan 37 and the crop guide distributing device 49 arenot limited to an agricultural machine 1, but can be used on harvestersof any design such as combine harvesters with rack vibrators and/ormulti-cylinder threshing mechanisms in order to obtain the functionspreviously described.

[0037] In an alternative embodiment, the guide webs 58 are rectilinearand arcuate. In another embodiment, the guide webs 58 and inner guidewebs 77, 78 of the crop distributing device 49 are curvilinear orstraight.

[0038] The crop distributing device 49 has the guide webs 58, which aremoveable for directing the discharge of harvested crop in variouslocations. In addition, the crop distributing device can have the guidewebs 58 divided into right and left groups that are controlled by acommon adjusting mechanism. As a general rule, if the swath 51 iscentrally deposited on the ground 52 behind the agricultural machine 1,the closable crop guide channel 76 is also arranged centrally on thecrop distributing device 49.

[0039] To ensure that the closable crop guide channel 76 is maximallytransverse to the direction of travel, the guide webs 58 defining thecrop guide channel 76 are set at relatively large distances apart fromeach other. In order that reliable guiding of the crop-containing airstream in the crop distributing device 49 is ensured when the cropdistributing device 49 is operated in the “broadcast” working positionand in the “swath” working position, the guide webs 58 pivot back behindthe crop distributing device 49, closing the crop guide channel 76.

[0040] The coupling members 70, 71, for simultaneously adjusting thepositions of the guide webs 58 operatively attached to the couplingmembers 70, 71 by manual or remote-controlled operation, are provided tolimit the expenditure on adjustment for the guide webs 58. To obtainmaximum possible flexibility in the adjustable crop discharge direction,the guide webs 58 of the crop distributing device 49 are rectilinear orcurved shape and pivotable over a wide pivot range, from a positionpointing approximately in the direction opposite the direction of travelinto a position transverse thereto.

What is claimed is:
 1. An agricultural machine having at least one cropprocessing work unit, a plurality of crop transport units operativelyassembled as a straw walker step, wherein the crop transport unitsconvey crop streams in opposite directions and are spaced apart todefine a crop through-gap, and a cleaning device having a forced-draughtfan before the cleaning device, further comprising: an exhaust fanlocated after the cleaning device, wherein the transport units arelocated between the forced-draught fan and the exhaust fan and theforced-draught fan produces an air stream which is directed from theforced-draught fan to the exhaust fan, thereby improving a cleaningprocess in the straw walker through-gap of the straw walker step.
 2. Theagricultural machine according to claim 1, wherein the exhaust fan isconstructed as a crop comminutor.
 3. The agricultural machine accordingto claim 1, wherein the forced-draught fan and exhaust fan generate airstream speed, which is adjustable by an adjusting means.
 4. Theagricultural machine according to claim 3, wherein the air stream speedis determined as a function of one of the factors selected from thegroup of crop type, crop throughput or moisture content in the crop. 5.The agricultural machine according to claim 3, wherein the air streamspeed is adjusted by varying a rotational speed of the exhaust fan. 6.The agricultural machine according to claim 3, further including: atleast one air speed measuring device for measuring an air speed, locatedbetween the crop transport units; and a control and regulating devicefor receiving the air speed from the at least one air speed measuringdevice and regulating the air speed.
 7. The agricultural machineaccording to claim 6, wherein the control and regulating device isprogrammed with a preset target speed value, compares the air speed tothe preset target speed value and sends an output speed change value tothe exhaust fan to adjust the exhaust fan's rotational speed, therebyadjusting the speed of the air stream to equal the preset target speedvalue.
 8. The agricultural machine according to claim 7, wherein thepreset target speed value is a function of crop type.
 9. Theagricultural machine according to claim 7, wherein the preset targetspeed value is defined as a function of crop moisture.
 10. Theagricultural machine according to claim 1, wherein the exhaust fan is acrop distributing device.
 11. An agricultural machine having at leastone crop processing work unit and an exhaust fan for carrying away aportion of crop, which is processed by working members of theagricultural machine, comprising: a crop distributing device operativelyconnected to the exhaust fan, having guide webs that are variable inposition; a first working position for receiving a first of the cropstreams and a second of the crop streams and a second working positionfor receiving one of the crop streams, wherein in the first workingposition, the first and the second crop streams are combined anddischarged for broadcasting as a common crop stream, and in the secondworking position, the first of the crop streams is received anddischarged and the second of the crop streams is conveyed and dischargedfrom the working members in swath form, separate from the first of thecrop streams.
 12. The agricultural machine according to claim 11,wherein the first of the crop streams being discharged is substantiallychaff and short straw.
 13. The agricultural machine according to claim11, wherein the second of the crop streams being discharged issubstantially long straw.
 14. The agricultural machine according toclaim 11, wherein the crop distributing device operated in the secondworking position and the crop streams are staggered and do not affecteach other during discharge.
 15. The agricultural machine according toclaim 11, wherein the guide webs are shifted to a side depositionworking position, thereby discharging crop transverse to a direction oftravel.
 16. The agricultural machine according to claim 11, furtherincluding: a crop guide element removably mounted over the exhaust fanfor precluding or allowing the second crop stream from entering theexhaust fan; a plurality of crop guide channels operatively attached toand for controlling locations of the guide webs, wherein the crop guideelements open and close allowing or precluding the flow of the cropstreams and one of the crop guide channels closes and displaces the cropstream transverse to a direction of travel.
 17. The agricultural machineaccording to claim 16, wherein the guide webs are divided into a firstgroup and a second group and the first group and the second group areplaced in a side deposition working position, closing one of the cropguide channels.
 18. The agricultural machine according to claim 16,wherein one of the crop guide channels is centrally arranged in the cropdistributing device, in a closed position.
 19. The agricultural machineaccording to claim 18, wherein one of the crop guide channels pivotsbetween an engaged position and an unengaged position.
 20. Theagricultural machine according to claim 16, wherein the cropdistributing device has three crop guide channels, which are adjustablefrom a first crop discharge direction, pointing essentially in adirection opposite the direction of travel, to a second crop dischargedirection, pointing transverse to the direction of travel.
 21. Theagricultural machine according to claim 16, wherein the crop guide websare substantially straight.
 22. The agricultural machine according toclaim 16, further including a common coupling mechanism for varyingpositions of the guide webs.
 23. The agricultural machine according toclaim 16, wherein the crop guide webs are arcuate.